Starr’s Mill student journalists have been given the opportunity to return to the Atlanta Motor Speedway and cover NASCAR race weekend after two years of restricted media coverage.

”To be able to be the only school newspaper who goes into Atlanta Motor Speedway on race weekend, and cover an event that’s going to be seen by people from all over the world is just an experience that can’t be duplicated,” Starr’s Mill Principal Allen Leonard said.

The project has three student journalists from the Prowler online newspaper. Senior Abby Carter as lead writer, senior Craig Bardo who will switch between photography and writing, and senior Annika Pepper as lead photographer will cover the event under the advisement of Justin Spencer.

Student journalists will spend the weekend as fully credentialed media, interviewing drivers and covering the race weekend from the media center. Race weekend will be broadcast on Fox and Fox Sports.

“I think an opportunity like this is really important for student journalists because it really gives them an opportunity to understand what goes into covering a large-scale event,” Dustin Bixby, vice president of marketing and promotions for Atlanta Motor Speedway, said.

The last time Prowler student journalists had the opportunity to cover race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway was March of 2020. Due to school shutdowns and the COVID-19 pandemic, the race was postponed and media coverage was reduced to only essential media.

The race weekend will take place from March 18-20 at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. 

In previous years, Prowler student journalists have had the opportunity to cover race weekends twice at Atlanta Motor Speedway and once at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama.

“The opportunity for our journalism students to get real world experience in a big time, real world, professional event is something that cannot be duplicated,” Leonard said. 

To keep up with media coverage of NASCAR race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, be sure to check out theprowlernews.org.